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Options for excellence: Building the social care workforce of the future

In July 2005, the Government announced a review of the social care workforce in England to be led jointly by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department of Health (DH). This report draws together the different strands of work that have been developed as part of the Review, including consultations with service users, carers and frontline workers.

The Review was asked to bring forward recommendations in order to:

  • increase the supply of all workers within the sector, such as domiciliary care workers, residential care workers, social workers and occupational therapists and look at measures to tackle recruitment and retention issues;
  • improve the quality of social care practice;
  • define the role of social workers (including training and skill requirements); and
  • develop a vision for the social care workforce in 2020 and a socio-economic case for improvements and investment in the workforce.

Prominent organisations representing social care stakeholders have been integral to the Review, and have participated as Review Board members, and on task groups.

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